Oh, what a glorious season! I love all the bright, vibrant fall colors, even though the dropping leaves make a mess and their very existence means winter is on its way. But it’s such a visceral pleasure to drive around Brighton and take in all the lovely seasonal changes. Being conscious of such beauty has to be good for the soul.

I do worry about some of those lovely trees, though. As I drive along Clover or Winton, I see several trees with branches leaning out over the street at angles that don’t look very stable. I hold my breath as I pass under them, hoping I won’t be the one those branches land on when they finally give way. I wish homeowners and the town would cruise along our major roads and look at the trees from that safety-critical perspective to think about which branches could, and should, be trimmed before they fall and cause either damage or injury.

But in the meantime, I’ll continue feeling enriched by every bright, colorful leaf along my journeys!

Contributors

Freelance writer/editor Ruth E. Thaler-Carter is a Rochester native who attended School 49 and graduated from Brighton High School. She spent seven years in St. Louis, eight in D.C. and 13 in Baltimore crafting a successful career in communications before returning home because “my wacky steelworker husband wanted to retire here ever since we were married here.” She teaches at Writers and Books; handles publicity for the Brighton Schools Alumni Association; leads the Rochester chapters of the Editorial Freelancers Association and Association for Women in Communications; belongs to the Rochester Friends Meeting; and is known for keeping her friends connected. Reach her at Ruth@writerruth.com.